What happened on this day, December 24 in Formula 1 history? Find out interesting facts and stories about Formula 1 on this day.
1918
Bill Taylor, born on this day, was an American racing driver best known for his attempts to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1952 and 1953, when the race was a part of the F1 Championship, though neither effort was successful. Beyond racing, Taylor had a career as a representative for Mobil Oil. Later, he became an official in the NASCAR series, a role he shared with his wife, whom he met during a land speed record attempt at Daytona Beach.
1941
Howden Ganley was born in Hamilton, New Zealand. At 19, he moved to England to pursue a career in motorsport, starting as a mechanic. Between 1971 and 1974, he participated in 41 Grands Prix, achieving a best finish of fourth place. Inspired by attending the 1955 New Zealand Grand Prix as a 13-year-old, Ganley later became a journalist, contributing to the Waikato Times and writing a column for Sports Car Illustrated. He raced for BRM, Frank Williams Racing Cars, March, and Maki, securing ten career points.
1949
Warwick Brown, born in Sydney, Australia, competed in the 1976 USA Grand Prix, finishing 14th in a Wolf car entered by the Frank Williams team. He found greater success in the Tasman Series, which he won in 1975 driving a Lola T332 Chevrolet. Brown also claimed victory in the Rothmans International Series twice, in 1977 with a Lola T430 Chevrolet and in 1978 with a Lola T332 Chevrolet, both under the VDS Team. His accolades include wins at the 1975 New Zealand Grand Prix and the 1977 Australian Grand Prix.
2000
John Cooper, co-founder of the Cooper Car Company and a pioneer of Formula One engineering, died at the age of 77. Alongside his father, Charles, he began building racing cars after World War II. The Cooper team made history when Stirling Moss secured their first Grand Prix victory in the 1958 Argentine Grand Prix, driving the first rear-engined car to win a race. This innovation revolutionised the sport—within two years, every car on the grid adopted rear-engine designs. “He made a great contribution to motor racing and put England back on top,” said Stirling Moss. “It’s thanks to John Cooper that I got into the sport, as his cars were relatively affordable.”
F1 Driver Birthdays 24 December
| Birthday | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 24 December 1918 | Bill Taylor |
| 24 December 1941 | Howden Ganley |
| 24 December 1949 | Warwick Brown |
F1 Driver Deaths 24 December
| Death | F1 Driver |
|---|---|
| 24 December | None |
| Death | F1 Metnions |
|---|---|
| 24 December 2000 | John Cooper Co-founder, with his father, Charles Cooper, of the Cooper Car Company and Cooper F1 team. |
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